Walsall Council leaders set to approve council tax hike
Leaders at Walsall Council are set to approve a 4.99 per cent council tax increase for 2026/27 next week.
Cabinet members will also approve £32.83m worth of savings, or cuts, in order to balance the books next year.
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Some of the cost savings measures include a review of the home to school transport programme, saving £102,000, reducing cleaning by 25 per cent within council buildings, saving £141,154, and the reduction of opening hours at Walsall New Art Gallery by three hours a week, saving £22,000.
The council proposes to increase parking charges by 20 per cent, saving £20,000, and a review of the council’s cultural offer which is said to save £100,000.
Also a review of the council’s leisure and health initiatives, including the four Active Living Centres in Bloxwich, Darlaston, Walsall Wood and Gala, at an estimated saving of £267,501.
Currently, households in a Band D property pay £2,498.27 per year.
Following the increase, they will be charged £2,627.48 for 2026/27, equating to £7.20 per day.
Residents in Walsall are already paying the highest amount of council tax across the four Black Country local authorities.
Nearly a third of the council’s entire £864million budget will be spent on adult social care and children’s services in 2026/27.
Two per cent of the council tax increase will be ringfenced for adult social care costs.
Despite a predicted £50.37million hole in the council’s budget for 2027/28 and beyond, even with an annual 4.99 per cent increase, the state of Walsall’s finances have been recognised as ‘comparing favourably to similar local authorities’.
Cabinet members will meet on Wednesday, February 11, to approve the budget.
It will then be subject to a vote at full council on Thursday, February 26, 2026.
